The chair of the UK’s Intelligent Transport Systems Industry Association, ITS (UK), Ryan Hood, is committing the organisation to increased interaction with members this year and to do more to support decarbonisation through the application of technology.
Hood of TRL has written to all members to set out his plans for 2022, building on a successful year last year where 30 new members signed up and ITS (UK) led the way in restarting in-person meetings while also offering an innovative hybrid online version alongside.
In his letter, Mr Hood writes of his ambition to continue to grow membership: “The real value of ITS (UK) is in the collective network of members, and the knowledge sharing that happens between members that helps push the industry forward,” he explains, adding that he wants to provide additional resources to offer more interaction with members.
“Over the course of the year, we should aim to build on the success of achieving one webinar or forum session per week,” he adds, “put in place the infrastructure to support hybrid meetings where appropriate, and in addition seek to build on the success at ITS European and World Congresses of providing a marketing platform for organisations, particularly SMEs, to help promote their solutions overseas where it would otherwise be cost-prohibitive to do so in isolation.”
Mr Hood also writes of his focus on decarbonisation: “ITS (UK) has been active for many years in this space, for instance through the Smart Environment forum and more recently supported by our new Carbon Ambassador.
“However, as I mentioned during our Members’ Day and the ITS (UK) 2021 Awards, I believe as an organisation that we can do more – more externally to promote the value of ITS in this transition, and more directly with our membership to provide the business support they may need to decarbonise their solutions. I would like to see this as a key ambition throughout this year, and I would like to see us recognise those that are setting the bar at our annual Awards later in the year.”
The letter also explains recent changes to legal documents to better reflect the way ITS (UK) is run, and commits to continue to serve multinationals to micro-SMEs, facilitating excellent networking, knowledge sharing and PR opportunities.
“Our members make us the powerful combined voice of the ITS Industry, leading the conversation about intelligent mobility,” he concludes. “We look forward to serving you in 2022.”
